Plaster-block machine



E. H. PIPE. PLASTER BLOCK MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28,1919.

Patented A r. 20, 1920.

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-PLASTER BLOCK MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28. 1919.

, Pawn sea Apr. 20, 1920.

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able b1113 E. H. PIPE.

PLASTER BLOCK MACHINE. APPLICATION man mu: 28. I919.

1,337,6 18. Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- E. H. PIPE.

PLASTER BLOCK MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28, 1919.

1,337,618. Patented Apr. 20,1920.

4 SHEETS-8 HEET 4- I. I 8x :37 I Qua/"egg UNITED sTA'rnsPA EN'r OFFICE.

EDWARD H. PIPE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR 'IO ACME CEMENT PLASTERCOMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

PLASTER-BLOCK MACHINE.

invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to a machine for use in making building blocks orthe-like,

particularly from a plaster of Paris com-.

position, in which to save material openings or the like are madelengthwise of the blocks. With this invention it is designed that a formin which the blocks are to be made may be automatically brought towardthe machine and a plurality of cores inserted through the form, theprogress of the form toward the machine stopping automatically when adesired and predetermined position of the form with respect to themachine has been reached. Thereafter, the material is placed in the formand left to set for a short time and the machine then reversed so thatthe form is moved away from the machine, the cores all being turnedabout their longitudinal axes during said movement and for a short timeprevious to the beginning of the movement of the form to fully disengagethe cores from the blocks which have been made in the form. It is aprimary object and purpose of the invention to produce a machine ofrelatively simple character which will completely and practically attainthe ends stated, as well as many others not at this time specificallyenumerated but which will appear fully and in detail as the descriptionprogresses, reference being had to the accbmpanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged view illustrating the gearingconnection of the diiferent series of cores.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4-41, of Fig. 2.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed J'une'28, 1819. Serial No. 307,451.

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the machine showing the beginning of themovement of the form toward the machine, and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation of the device used for moving theform.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different views ofthe drawings.

The machine may be carried in any suitable manner but I prefer to make asolid foundation 1,-of concrete or the like which may have an extensionl at one end of less height than the main body of the foundation. Thisfoundation extends a distance above the floor or ground and carries aframe made up of parallel plates 2 of metal which are connected by crossplates 3 and 4. At one end each plate has an extension 5 of less heightthan the plates but with the upper edges of the plates and extensions 5in alinement. The ends of the extension 5 are supported by posts 6 whichmay rest on or ,be embedded in the part 1 of the foundation.Thiscompletes the framework of the machine.

A plurality of series of shafts 7 are rotatably mounted in and betweenthe plates 2. In the construction shown each series includes four shaftslocated one over the other and there are sixteen of said series of fourshafts in the length of the plates 2.

This number of series as well as the number of shafts in a series issubject to variation depending on the number and size of blocks to bemade in a form. At the rear end of each shaft and back of the rearplate'2 a pinion 8 is secured, and the four pinions of each verticalseries of shafts are in intermeshing engagement so that when any rotarymovement is imparted to one shaft in a series all of the rest in theseries have an equal movement though not in the same direction. At thefront end of each shaft and in front of the front plate 2 an elongatedand tapering core 9, having a pointed front end is attached to turn withits shaft. At

I the rear end of one shaft in'each of the series an arm 10 is secured,all of .the arms extending upwardly and having connection at their upperends to a horizontal bar 11, it being evident that on reciprocation ofsaid bar 11 all of the cores 9 are oscillated back and forth at the sametime, and equally as is obvious.

A connecting rod 12 has pivotal attachment near the middle of the bar11, passing over a pin 13. At the opposite end the connecting rod haspivotal connection over a pin'14 with a disk 15 attached at the side ofa large sprocket wheel 16 which in turn is fixed at the rear end of ashaft 17 located above the extensions 5 and mounted in bearings 18secured to the said extensions. The disk 15 turns with the shaft 17 thepin 14 is located a distance from the shaft whereby it is clear thatwith every revolution of the shaft 17 the bar 11 is reciprocated backand forth. The wheel 16 is designed to be rotated through a sprocketchain which may be driven from any suitable reversible prime mover, suchas an electric motor.

A second sprocket wheel 19 is secured to the shaft 17 between the parts5 and around it a sprocket chain 20 is passed, it also passing around asprocket wheel 21 fixed on a lower shaft 22 placed horizontally aboveand mounted in bearings 23 attached to the foundation 1*. At its rearend shaft 22 has a sprocket wheel 24 secured thereto around which anendless sprocket chain 25 passes to drive a sprocket wheel 26 attachedat the rear end of a shaft 27 located about the middle of the foundation1 and carried in a bearing 28 at its rear end, said foundation beingleft with an open space for the passage of the shaft and insertion ofthe bearing. The shaft 27 extends forward through a frame member 29 andthence lengthwise of aframe completed by a front cross member 30 and twoparallel side beams 31, the front end of the shaft having rotatablebearing in the front frame member 29. This frame is located in front ofthe foundation 1 below the cores 9 and the front ends of the sides 31are cut at a downward and forward incline as indicated at 32.

In the length of the shaft 27 between the cross members 29 and 30 ascrew 33 is formed,'pa'ssing through a large nut 34. The screw is oflarger diameter than the shaft at each end and the screw terminates ateach is turned and when the end of the screw.

is reached, one of the springs 35 is compressed and the nut carried offof the screw. The pressure of the spring thus compressed holds the nutagainst the end of the screw and on reversal of the turning movement ofthe screw the nut again traverses the shaft in the opposite directionuntil the opposite end of the screw is reached.

Rods36 extend laterally one to each side of the nut 34, being attachedto and movable therewith. Another rod 37 is located in front of the rods36 and parallels the same, being connected to said rods by bars 38. Whenthe nut 34 is at its most forward position ahead of the screw 33, rod 37has moved down the inclines 32 and is in a plane considerably lower thanthe upper surfaces of the beams 31.

Tracks 39 are located in front of the ends of which come below the uppersurfaces of the beams 31, but which freely pass over the rod 37 when itis in its lowermost position on the inclines 32, whereby, with the nut34 at its forward position at the front end of the screw 33, the formmay be moved sothat bars 42 pass over the rod 37, but as soon as thescrew is turned to move the nut to the rear, the rod 37 riding up theinclines 32 engages behind the bars 42 and draws the form toward themachine. The form, as shown in my former application referred to, hasopenings in its front and rear for the passage of the cores. The screwis of such a length thatby the time the cores are fully inserted, nut 34has run off the front end of the screw, and thereafter no furthermovement of the form takes place no matter how long the screw is turned;and it is only with a reversal of theturning movement of the screw thatany further movement of the form will take place, and

this will then be away from the machine.

motor then stopped. It is apparent that the cores are oscillated duringthe movement of the form but such oscillation has no particular functionwhen the form is empty. After the form is in place the material, aplaster of Paris composition mixed with water is placed in the formuntil it is filled and allowed to stand for a short time. This time isvery short as the material sets very rapidly. The motor is then'reversedand the cores all oscillated with a simultaneous turning of the screw33. Before the form starts to move away from the machine it is evidentthat the nut 34 must travel a distance suflicient to bring the ends ofthe rods 36 against the form bars 42, or a distance nearly equal to thatbetween rods 36 and the rod 37. During this time the cores 9 are beingcontinuously turned about their longitudinal axes, thereby freeing thesame from any adhesion to the blocks so that when rods 36 engage againstbars 42, the form is free to move away from the machine. This movementof the form continues until the nut passes from the screw 33 and withthe rod 37 located low enough that the form may be then moved awaywithout danger that the bars 42 will catch against the rod 37. The formmay be switched on to a branch track and taken to any convenient placefor removal of the blocks therefrom, and another form brou ht to placefor repetition of the process. he quick setting of the plaster of Parismaterial makes it possible to run the machine continuously with but fewforms and blocks may be made with great rapidity and a minimum of laborcost.

This machine isone of great value and utility in making building blocksfrom quick setting cementitious material such as plaster of Paris andthe like. It has proven its worth in useover a period of time and ispractical and eflicient in all respects.

I claim: V

1. A machine comprising a support, a plurality of cores mounted on andprojecting horizontally in front of the support, a screw.mounted belowthe cores and projecting in front of the support, a shaft on which thescrew is mounted, a nut on the screw, rods extending laterally from thenut, another rod in front of the first named rods, bars connecting therods, and means to simultaneously turn the shaft and all of the coresabout their longitudinal axes, substantially as described.

2. In a machine of the character described, a support, a plurality ofcores mounted on and projecting horizontally in front of the support, aframe located below the cores and likewise projectingin front of thesupport, said frame including two spaced apart beams paralleling thecores connected by front and rear cross members, said beams at theirfront ends being cut downwardly and forwardly at an angle to thehorizontal. a shaft located between the beams and rotatably mounted onthe cross members, said shaft having a screw thereon the threads ofwhich have larger outside diameter than the diameter of the shaft, andsaid screw terminating at each end a distance short of the crossmembers, a coiled spring around the shaft at each end of the screw andbetween the ends of the screw and the cross members of the frame, a nuton the screw, rods attached one to each side of the nut and projectinglaterally over the beams, another rod a distance in front of the nut,bars connecting the last rod to the first rods, and means tosimultaneously rotate the shaft and turn all of the cores about theirlongitudinal axes, substantially as described.

3. In a machine of the character described, a support, a plurality ofcores mounted on and projecting in front of the support, a form forreceiving cementitious material adapted to be placed close to thesupport with the cores passing through the form, means to turn the coresabout their longitudinal axes, and means to automatically move the formaway from the support and thus withdraw the cores a short time after theoscillation of the cores has begun, substantially as described.

4. In a machine of the character described, an elongated support, aplurality of vertical series of cores mounted on the support andextending in front thereof; said series of cores being located in thelength of the support side by side and spaced apart, a shaft attached toeach core and rotatably mounted on the support, intermeshing gears onthe shafts of each series of cores, an upwardly projecting arm connected to one shaft of each of the series, a bar connecting the upperends of all of the arms, and means to reciprocate said bar,substantially as described.

5. In a machine of the character described, an elongated support, aplurality of vertical series of cores projecting in front of thesupport, a shaft to which each core is attached rotatably mounted on thesupport, intermeshing gears on the shafts of each series of cores, anupwardly projecting arm connected to one shaft of each of the series, abar connecting the upper ends of all of the arms, a drive shaft, aconnecting bar attached at one end to the first bar. and meansconnecting the other end of the connecting bar to the shaft at adistance from the center thereof. substantially as described.

6. In a machine of the character described, a machine containing theelements 'recited in combination in claim 5 combined with means to movea form toward or away from the support, said cores pass ing through theform. and means to drive said forming moving. means from the driveshaft, substantially as described.

7. In a machine of the character described, a support, a plurality ofseries of shafts located leugthwise of the support, the shafts of eachseries being located one over the other, a gear at the rear end of eachshaft, the gears of each series of shafts being in intermeshingengagement, a tapered core attached to the front end of nected to therear end of one shaft of each of the series of shafts, a horizontal barconnecting the upper ends of all of the arms,

a drive shaft at one end of the support,

means for reciprocating the horizontal bar with the rotation of thedrive shaft, a second shaft below the drive shaft, means to drive thesame from the drive shaft, a third shaft located below the support andextending forward in front of the support, and provided with a screw ina portion of its length in front of the support, means to drive thethird shaft from the second shaft, a nut on the screw, means connectedto and movable with the nut, and means for holding the nut againsteither end of the screw after it has moved ofi the end of the screw,said means movable with the nut being adapted to move a block formtoward or away'from the support with the operation of the machine inopposite directions, substantially as described.

8. In. a machine of the character described, a support, a plurality ofcores rotatably mounted on-the support and projecting in front thereof,a frame formed spaced apart forwardly extending beams and front and rearcross members located in front of the support and below the cores, saidbeams at their front ends frame, a nut on the said screw threadedportion of the shaft, front and rear rods connected together by spacedapart bars attached to and movable with the nut, downwardly extendingbars on the form at the end thereof nearest the machine, said barsextending to a point between the upper and lower sides of the beams,means to simultaneously rotate the shaft and turn the cores about theirlongitudinal axes, said form in its front and rear sides having openingsto pass the cores, and means'to hold the nut against the end of thescrew after it has passed therefrom, substantially as described.

, In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

EDWARD H. PIPE.

